Tom Cross (rugby)
Encyclopedia
Tom "Angry" William Cross was a New Zealand rugby football
er who represented New Zealand in both rugby union
and rugby league
.
for the Kaikorai Club in 1896. Cross was considered a very large man for the times and he represented Otago from 1898 to 1900. He then joined the Linwood club in Christchurch and represented Canterbury
from 1901 to 1902, gaining South Island selection in 1902. By 1903 he had moved to Wellington and played for both the Poneke and Petone Rugby Club
s. He again earned provincial selection, playing for Wellington. When in Wellington he played for the North Island, being one of the first players to have represented both Islands. He ended his rugby union career on a sour note, being sent off for foul play in a club match and subsequently suspended for the rest of the season.
Cross made his All Blacks
debut in 1901 and won selection again in 1904, 1905 and 1906. At the time he was regarded as one of the "hard men" of New Zealand rugby.
selected. While on tour Cross played in all eight test matches and, along with Wright
, Johnston
and Pearce
, made up the core of the forward pack during the tour. He was sent off in the third test match against the Northern Union
but scored a try in the second test against Australia.
On his return to New Zealand Cross represented Wellington
in provincial matches against Auckland
and Taranaki
.
Like five other members of the touring party Cross is buried at Karori Cemetery.
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
er who represented New Zealand in both rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
and rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
.
Rugby Football
Cross was originally from Dunedin and played rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for the Kaikorai Club in 1896. Cross was considered a very large man for the times and he represented Otago from 1898 to 1900. He then joined the Linwood club in Christchurch and represented Canterbury
Canterbury representative rugby union team
The Canterbury representative rugby union team, generally referred to as Canterbury, are the top representative rugby union team under the Canterbury Rugby Football Union in New Zealand...
from 1901 to 1902, gaining South Island selection in 1902. By 1903 he had moved to Wellington and played for both the Poneke and Petone Rugby Club
Petone Rugby Club
The Petone Rugby Football Club was founded in 1885 and has been the Wellington Premier Champion 39 times between 1895 and 2005. In addition to this, the club has won the Club Championship on 42 occasions between 1922 and 2005...
s. He again earned provincial selection, playing for Wellington. When in Wellington he played for the North Island, being one of the first players to have represented both Islands. He ended his rugby union career on a sour note, being sent off for foul play in a club match and subsequently suspended for the rest of the season.
Cross made his All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
debut in 1901 and won selection again in 1904, 1905 and 1906. At the time he was regarded as one of the "hard men" of New Zealand rugby.
Rugby League
Being an excellent support player despite his large size made him an automatic selection for the professional All Blacks in their 1907–08 tour of Great Britain and Australia. He was one of six players from the Petone Rugby ClubPetone Rugby Club
The Petone Rugby Football Club was founded in 1885 and has been the Wellington Premier Champion 39 times between 1895 and 2005. In addition to this, the club has won the Club Championship on 42 occasions between 1922 and 2005...
selected. While on tour Cross played in all eight test matches and, along with Wright
Hercules Richard Wright
Hercules Richard "Bumper" Wright was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.-Early years:...
, Johnston
Massa Johnston
William "Massa" Johnston was a New Zealand rugby union and rugby league international...
and Pearce
Charlie Pearce
Charlie James Pearce was a New Zealand rugby footballer who was part of the professional 1907-1908 New Zealand rugby tour of Great Britain.-Rugby Football:...
, made up the core of the forward pack during the tour. He was sent off in the third test match against the Northern Union
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
but scored a try in the second test against Australia.
On his return to New Zealand Cross represented Wellington
Wellington Rugby League
Wellington Rugby League is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of Rugby league in the Greater Wellington region. It is responsible for the local competition of the same name, as well as its representative team, the Wellington rugby league team.- Local Senior Competition :The...
in provincial matches against Auckland
Auckland rugby league team
The Auckland rugby league team is the team which traditionally represents all of the clubs which play in the Auckland Rugby League competition. The Auckland Rugby League team has traditionally been a powerhouse of New Zealand domestic rugby league...
and Taranaki
Taranaki Rugby League
Taranaki Rugby League is the local sporting body responsible for the administration of Rugby league in the Taranaki region of New Zealand. The TRL are represented by the Taranaki rugby league team...
.
Like five other members of the touring party Cross is buried at Karori Cemetery.